Computer Hardware and Procurement at CERN.ppt

Computer Hardware and Procurement at CERN Helge Meinhard (at) cern ch HEPiX fall 2005 @ SLAC Outline Procedures Hardware (being) procured Power measurements Observations Procedures Constraints (1) CERN is an international organisation with strict administrative rules Competitive tendering required covering (at least) member states No way to avoid for commodity equipment Lowest compliant bid wins No negotiations about added value of higher offers Constraints (2) Different procedures depending on expected volume 10’000 CHF: IT seeks 3 offers 200’000 CHF: Formal price enquiry by purchasing service. Four weeks response time 750’000 CHF: Formal call for tender preceded by market survey. Six weeks response time 750’000 CHF: As 750’000 CHF, plus approval by CERN’s Finance Committee (5 sessions/year, papers ready two months in advance) (1 CHF = 0.78 USD = 0.65 EUR) Our problems Procedures badly adapted to quickly evolving computing market Difficult to give preference to “good”, reliable equipment Our choices (1) For significant purchases ( 100 kCHF) we require (a) sample system(s) with the tender for big tenders on CERN’s request for small tenders Tenders include 3 years on-site warranty for hardware Typical requirements: 4 working hours response / 12 working hours repair for critical machines 3 working days response / 5 working days repair for farm nodes Supplier can subcontract on-site warranty Our choices (2) Payment within 30 days after provisional acceptance on receipt of bank guarantee of 5% of purchase sum valid until end of warranty period Delivery within 6 weeks, penalty for late delivery: 2% of purchase sum per complete week, max. 10% Our choices (3) If more than 10% systems fail during acceptance or during first month after: right to return the whole batch If a system fails 3 or more times during any 6 months’ period, right to request complete replacement of system If more than 20% of any component fail during any 6 months’ period, right to request complete